Peter Keith speaks out about CBD master plan

WILLIAM Wallace the Scottish freedom fighter, played by Mel Gibson in the film Brave Heart, was purported to have said: “There’s a difference between us. You think the people of this land exist to provide you with a position. I think your position exists to provide those people with freedom”.

Something similar could be said about our Council authorities and the treatment of our main street businesses and property owners.

Our Council has developed The CBD Master Plan without the input or awareness of the people that will bear the brunt and full impact on their livelihood, business and family.

There has been no fair dinkum consultation; there has been no fair go. It is a powerful minority wishing to put their stamp on a City that has an awesome history, a city that has had a rough time over recent decades - yet it is one that continues to show great spirit and resilience within the community and is beginning to be in popular demand, due to its location and its people, to travellers and industry.

The number of visitors frequenting our main street is continually growing. This is due to the variety and uniqueness of shops, products, individual service and the individual styles of the people operating the stores. It is common place for visitors to comment how much they enjoy shopping in our main street and its easy parking. Our main street has become popular as many Cities have turned their back on small businesses in favour of the mall developments and national chains. Consequently they have wiped out their CBD individuality. For our future we need to have both - with car parking and easy access as balance.

Australia day provides many varied thoughts to a diverse community. It does provide cause to reflect on our good fortune of living in Australia, and being aware of our history. It is a time to reflect on the fortune of this great land, the first Australians and the treatment that has been handed out over the past 220 years.

It is also time to reflect on a day of reckoning that occurred some 160 years ago where I believe our nation as we know it now came of age.

This was the Eureka uprising, where a group of self employed people, miners and independent entrepreneurs provided a spirit of solidarity. The people were spirited and believed in fighting for their rights. They were suppressed unfairly by their authorities of the day. Their business, livelihoods and family were threatened by those in authority.

While any comparison of the Eureka uprising and The CBD master plan may seem overdramatic the stakes are potentially the same: risk of business failure, the removal of livelihoods and family stress emanating from the power of our authorities.

I would hope our main street property and business owners will show some solidarity, and fight back for their rights, their future, their survival and have a say in the redevelopment plan of our main street. Their livelihoods may depend on it.

The CBD Master Plan is happening. A draft works program based on the CBD Master Plan for 2010/2011 in part states “redirect traffic out of Auburn Street (by signage) and into Bourke and Sloane Street alternatives”. We spend huge amounts of money in establishing our businesses often taking into account traffic flows and advertising our location – all to be wiped out by Council Signage and future redevelopment directing visitor traffic away from our businesses. Coincidentally much of the redirected traffic flow will be via or in the vicinity of our mall centre’s, car parks and proposed new developments. Mall car parks will become the convenient place to park.

Is it time to show some of the Eureka and Awesome Goulburn Spirit to our Council authorities?

Must we accept the CBD Master plan proposed and adopted by our Council?

Change takes time and the attitude of our Council with the CBD Master plan, (in regard to communication of the plan), treats many businesses in the main strip as second class and apparently nuisance value. The CBD Master Plan will rid the main street of many businesses.

The Main Street will be ridded of many of these businesses due to a combination of CBD Master Plan, and the targeting of independent businesses, by national chains and shopping centers. Remember much of the redirected traffic flow out of Auburn Street will flow via or in the vicinity of the mall centre’s, car parks and proposed centres. Mall car parks will become the convenient place to park.

It is indeed a day or time of reckoning that will force every business in our main street to change, reduce costs, lay off staff, or “push off”.

I remain at a loss to explain how such a momentous decision could be made without full involvement of the people to be impacted. I have been told not to worry about the CBD master plan as the Council has NOT the money to implement the redevelopment. Accepting this line would save me a lot of heart ache and soul searching. However, I believe that we have a duty to look out for each other in our community and we are entitled to a fair go.

I see devastation caused by a plan resulting in the net loss of more than 220 car parking spaces in Auburn, Market and Montague Streets, a stated reduction of 80% of existing traffic accessing the CBD being diverted around Auburn Street at Clinton and Bradley Streets, combined with the moving in of Target and Big W.

I say again the Auburn Street Business Sector - the most affected by any implementation of the CBD Master plan - as a whole - were not aware of the existence of the plan or consequences.

Plans such as the CBD Master Plan should involve the input of all stakeholders in the main street. The authorities would say they have held meetings/workshops that stakeholders could attend. However, for a plan of this expense and magnitude, it is reasonable to expect every CBD stakeholder should be given the personal opportunity to provide input into the direction of the proposal. Council is playing with the future of families, businesses, jobs and livelihoods!

In preparation of the CBD Master Plan a working party was formed, that had at two Auburn Street property owners as members. This was later dissolved as it was deemed that these property owners had a conflict of interest. If having an interest in your city becomes a conflict – heaven knows how we will ever be able to make a just, fair and balanced decision to go forward.

Furthermore our Council has now dissolved our local advisory committees. Is there a common thread here? One can speculate on the reasons for this. Again, what say, did the members of the groups have in the future of their advisory committee’s?

When I was elected President of the Goulburn Chamber of Commerce and Industry, I took on the role humbled and with honour and enthusiasm. I truly believed that it was important not to become overly critical of our Council and to provide them with community support when possible and acknowledge the positives.

I believed that the Council was always working in our best interests for the community and with that reasoning it would always provide a common thread to resolve the occasional difference of opinions on issues that will inevitably occur from time to time.

I guess I now feel with recent issues, including the abolishment of advisory committees, lack of respect, consultation for our main street property owners and small business owners, our Council authorities have worn me down, and I feel at ease in publically voicing my personal opinions.

I have personally paid for the space provided above and it is my personal view, and does not necessarily represent nor is it intended to reflect the views of the Goulburn Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Please provide your feedback, concerns to me, preferably in writing or email.

It is only by your feedback that I will know whether these are issues of concern and require some structured action.

My contact details are as follows:

Phone: 0248 219600 or 0248 218622.

Fax: 0248 212689 email: peter@goulburninsurance.com.au

Mail: PO Box 862, Goulburn. 2580.